IWFFA Sports Woman of Year Award

2010

North America Region

VALERI MARTINEZ

Mexico City, Mexico

Valeri Araceli Martinez was born in july 26th of 1985 in Mexico City. She started her sport career in women’s flag football on 1999 in Club Vaqueros as the center of the team. She is the only player in Club Vaqueros who has played without any interruption in 12 years, achieving with all years a juvenile championship in autumn of 2002 and two major championships in autumn of 2008 and in spring of 2009, plus she achieved seven second places in different categories.
She has participated in the Annual Kelly McGillis International Women’s & Girls Flag Football Championship and in the World Challenge in their 12th (2003), 17th (2008), 19th (2010) and 20th (2011) edition. With all these, she gained in two occasions the nomination for quarterback of the All Star Team (2003 and 2010). She also reached two championships, the first one in the beginner divison in 2008 and the other one in the second division in 2010.

Araceli has been one of the pillars of the flag football in Club Vaqueros, because she has been one of the principal promoters in this sport. Many of the women who played in Vaqueros are there because of Araceli. She brings more women to the team season after season, showing with this that the level of game in the team is excellent. Despite all the time she dedicates to the flag football, she also received her college degree in the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa as a hydrobiologist.

Araceli is the first Mexican player who has commanded a foreign team in the World Challenge and won it in over time.
(the score is in the background of this photo
Team International 27 vs Team USA 26 )

Finally in 2010 Araceli won the award for
“2010 IWFFA Sportswoman of North American Region”.